Alumni

“As an alumnus, I believe in the work UMass does, and the positive influence we, as a UMass community, have on young adults. The advantages I received from UMass are ones I want to share,” he says. “I don’t enjoy hearing high school students saying they’re ‘just’ going to UMass. They’re going to the opportunity of a lifetime.”

“Being a lawyer is a tool,” says Anthony Barsamian ’86 (Legal Studies), managing partner of Hutchings, Barsamian, Mandelcorn & Zeytoonian, LLP in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. “It needs to be applied to something relevant. Using that tool to advocate for others—both individuals and the community—is what brought me to where I am today."

Though Matthew Bonaccorsi ‘13 now has a great job in the office of Massachusetts State Senate Majority Leader Stan Rosenberg as Constituent Services and New Media Aide, he is no stranger to being rejected. Read more...

With a distinguished background in the computer software industry, Mr. Cantillon has demonstrated how a foundation in political science can open awide range of opportunities across professional disciplines.

Evandro C. Carvalho ’04 spent much of his childhood herding goats, building a chicken farm, and serving as a shepherd to cattle on his grandfather’s farm in Cape Verde. Although the manual labor taught him a lot about hard work—rising before dawn, working with his hands, and persisting day after day—in some ways, finding ways to get out of the work taught him more: “whenever I could, I'd use the ‘I have to study’ excuse,” Carvalho reflects. That focus on academics prepared him well for UMass. Read more

Chris Coleman graduated from UMass Amherst in 1994 with an Undergraduate degree from Legal Studies. He began his career in sell-side sales, marketing and implementation at Thomson Financial. He moved into Global Sales & Marketing at Investor's Bank & Trust, and ultimately moved to State Street Corporation, where he is Senior Vice President and Head of Global Relationship Management. Chris has been with State Street for nine years.

I've spent most of my professional career in business, press and politics and am a registered lobbyist. UMass gave me countless opportunities to learn new things, make mistakes and realize that "it's the journey, not the destination" that makes us happy. Politics has taught me that people like to be asked, and I don't mind asking. We have lots of alumni that are waiting to be asked how they can help UMass ... so where did I put my phone?

Ann thanks UMass for giving her a good start: “what I learned at UMass is important to who I am today,” she says. She encourages today’s students to appreciate all that UMass offers. College goes by quickly, “…try not to feel pressured to make life decisions right away, you have time to figure it all out. Change is good!”

Michael Fox '11 (Political Science) remembers the first time he heard about Root Capital; it was during his senior year at UMass. Having recently added an economics minor, Fox recognized Root Capital as a place where his interest in finance and political ideals could be married. Read more...

If you are like most people, you will walk away from your undergraduate career with fond memories, great friends, new skills, and a few “words of wisdom” that will follow you throughout your career. For Bart Gobeil ’94, the words of wisdom that have followed him after leaving UMass are “it’s all about perspective.” Read more...

“I am a TV news anchor at Fox 5 in Atlanta,” says Tom Haynes ’94. “And trust me, every bit of what I do in my job today was cultivated during my four years at UMass.” Moving from an Intro to American Politics or Political Theory course to TV, may not seem like an obvious step for political science majors. But that’s exactly what happened for Haynes. Read more...

As an alumnus of the Political Science department, I received an excellent education, which prepared me well for a post UMass career. I believe the department’s positive impact in the world of politics and policy is the result of its world-class students, faculty and leadership. I am proud to serve on the advisory board and I look forward to serving the needs of the department.

“I was always told by my parents and teachers that I was a good public speaker,” says Janet (Rubinstein) Keller ’91, “and I usually liked getting up in front of people and giving my point of view.” This knack for public speaking has formed the basis for Keller’s career as senior counsel in the Office of the Corporation Counsel at the New York City Law Department, where she was recently recognized—for the second time—with a Division Chief Award for superior legal accomplishments. Read more...

Like Barack Obama, Billy Kenoi ’93 is a native Hawaiian who ran against an older, more experienced candidate for office last November. And, like Obama, Kenoi triumphed. “Seeing the newspaper with the headlines ‘Obama Wins; Kenoi Wins’, gave me goose bumps,” he says. Read more...

You may have recently heard the name Derek Khanna in the news. He has been making headlines for publishing a policy memo outlining “three myths about copyright law” and detailed solutions on reforming copyright law on behalf of the House Republican Study Committee (RSC) – a memo which, despite receiving numerous positive reviews as being “brilliant,” received so much push-back from Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) lobbyists that the RSC eventually retracted it. Read more...

"The faculty, staff, and students I met in the political science department at UMass Amherst shaped me into the person I am today and I am honored to be able to give back by serving on the Political Science Alumni Advisory Board," she says. Caroline is currently in her final year as a dual Master's in Public Policy and Master's in Business Administration student at the Brandeis Heller School for Social Policy & Management.

Everyday in my professional life I draw on lessons that I learned as a graduate student at UMass. Critical thinking, the willingness to question conventional assumptions, and the humility to accept contrary points of view were all part of my education. I know that my career owes many of its successes to my tenure at UMass.

Serving on the Political Science Alumni Advisory Board, says Attorney Howard L. Levin ’75 (Political Science), “will be an interesting and energizing way to give back to UMass Amherst. Levin, who specializes in commercial real estate and business law, practices with the Boston law firm RichMay. For several years running, through a process of peer selection, he has been named to the group of elite lawyers in Massachusetts by Super Lawyers. Levin has a way of leaving marks of achievement on all of his endeavors.

I have long believed in the mission of UMass Amherst to not only educate the best and brightest from the Commonwealth, but to be a truly world class institution, drawing great minds from all over the World. For me, it is an honor to play a role in bringing back my expertise to the institution and department that started the seed of my professional growth.

After graduating from UMass Amherst, Philip McNamara ’97, joined the Democratic National Committee (DNC) as the assistant to the director of party affairs and delegate selection. “It was my first ‘professional’ job,” reflects McNamara. “I was 23 and figured I would stay there for a year or two.” After the first year, however, McNamara became the deputy director of party affairs and delegate selection, and, in 2002, the director. His temporary job effectively became an 11 year career. Read more...

Ashley Messenger ’91 has a passion for the First Amendment. As a student, Messenger studied the constitution and engaged in general discussions about American politics, but not until she began working as a lawyer did she realize how “fun” the First Amendment can be. Read more...

Originally from Iowa, Micaelah came to Massachusetts to attend UMass Amherst and most recently worked at the Massachusetts State Senate for the Cape & Islands District. There she held the positions of: Scheduler, Legislative Director, Budget & Communications Director, and Chief of Staff. "UMass helped me get where I am today and I hope I can play a role in helping other students write their own UMass success stories," she says.

“International social justice work is not an easy path,” says Michael Otto ’03, “but it is often very exciting and rewarding!” Otto, who helped to found Tiny Toones, a non-profit organization which uses music to empower at-risk youth in Cambodia, says his Legal Studies background helped to make much of his social justice work possible. Read more...

For Mark A. Papirio '81, “UMass’ Legal Studies Program boasts some of the best legal minds anywhere.” The faculty, he says, “helped keep me on the straight and narrow path at school…. Peter d’Errico [professor emeritus of legal studies] went out of his way both to help me secure an internship and to put my best foot forward in applying to law school.” Read more...

Chris Peterson ‘09 (Legal Studies) graduated from UMass Amherst in the “teeth of the recession,” and applied to 63 jobs. He heard back from one: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Admissions Office, who needed someone to help coordinate their blogs and social media strategy. Read more...

Chief Administrative Law Judge, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, Social Security Administration

BA, Political Science

“UMass Amherst is a very special place for me,” says Judge William C. Ramsey ’97, “I was able to grow academically and personally at UMass, and I look back at my college experience with tremendous happiness.”

The most prominent feature in Sheldon Saltman ’53’s den was a wall-length map documenting every place he has visited over the course of his sixty-year career in sports and journalism. In his capacity as the first President of Fox Sports; Co-Commissioner of Boxing at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles; and a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, Saltman travelled extensively across Asia, Europe, and, of course, the United States. Read more...

“I never intended to major in political science when I accepted my spot at UMass,” says Morris Singer ’06. “I went from taking one political science class to the next before discovering my passion for the subject matter and for the opportunities that exist to carry my education beyond the classroom.” Read more...

“Words are a lawyer’s tools,” says Stacy Slotnick ’05 (Legal Studies/History), a New York-based entertainment attorney and public relations specialist. “Fortunately, my passion is writing, and as a result, I never tire of drafting proposals, contracts, talking points, press releases, or pithy social media entries to highlight a client's accomplishments.” Read more...

Jonathan Tabb ‘11, Presidential Management Fellow in the Department of the Treasury, is quick to point out the key to his success at UMass: being proactive. “Education is an active journey, not a passive one, and you must take charge to get the most out of it,” Tabb said. Read more...

When asked about her career success-stories, Emily Tarr ’00, who now serves as an International Special Advisor in the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reflects on “a combination of what I have done right, and some things that I should have done.” Together, these items form a five-step plan for success in the international criminal law field. Read more...

ometimes your career path is unpredictable and a single chance event can markedly alter your professional future. That’s certainly the case for Bruce Weissgold ’89. After graduating from UMass, Weissgold entered graduate school at the University of Virginia (UVA) where he focused on US-Japanese cooperation in the design and development of a new single seat fighter jet. Read more...

After being a founder of UMass' Veterans and Service Members Association, it would be hard to imagine how much more of a professional and personal link to veterans Jaime Zagami could have. But she then went onto become an Operations Associate for American Corporate Partners, helping veterans transition into the workforce. Indeed, with VASMA helping veterans transition to academia, and her work at ACP, Jaime has a sustained and real interest in the field of Veteran Services. Read more...

Like many alums, Emily Zimmerman ’09 recognizes the value of internships. In fact, her current career – that of a Speechwriter and Public Affairs Specialist for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – began with an internship at the EPA during her senior year at UMass. Read more...

Department of Political Science
Thompson Hall, 200 Hicks Way
Amherst, MA 01003 USA
Phone: 413.545.2438The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) bridges the sciences and liberal arts
and educates thousands of students each year in the areas of culture, society, and individual behavior.This page is maintained by the Department of Political Science.